Wisconsin Plow Museum

Unique to the state, Wisconsin’ s Plow Museum, also known as Ed’s Machine Shed, is a collection of 39 restored plows from 1915-1955. A few tractors are included in the collection. The plow museum is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at no charge. Donations are accepted for upkeep. It is handicapped accessible. Ladysmith resident Ed Tomasovich, who has acquired the collection over the years, donated it to the city in exchange for the construction of a building to house it. The red, barn-like 60 foot by 70 foot machine shed has 4,200 square feet of space with two extensions for overflow space.

Ed Tomasovich is passionate about collecting and restoring antique farm plows. He has restored nearly 39 vintage plows and tractors. Each one meticulously disassembled, hand sanded, painted and reassembled piece by piece. Ed still vividly remembers growing up on a dairy farm in Rusk County. Ed has agreed to donate his renowned collection of 39 completely restored vintage plows to become a major part of the Rusk County Historical Museum.

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6 days ago

Native American wigwam will appear in Rusk County Historical Museum

The only Native American wigwam in Rusk County will be housed at the Rusk County Museum. It will be constructed through joint efforts of the people of Rusk County and Native American advisors. The process will begin in April and completed by July.

“It consists of four steps before construction can begin”, says project director and member of Rusk County Historical Society, Sister Cecilia Fandel. “Step one - collect 1000 willow saplings. Step two - peel saplings and bind together to create the wigwam skirt. Step three - cut 15 ft. tree saplings for the framework, and strip inner bark for bindings. Step four - harvest and sew large birch bark panels for the dome roof. Then we will be ready to transform these natural materials into a wigwam”.

The Wisconsin Humanities Council has awarded a matching grant of $10,000 to the Rusk County Historical Society for the Wigwam Project. Sr. Fandel emphasized, “While Native Americans will direct and teach the process, many volunteers from Rusk County are needed to join them in the gathering, preparation and construction phases. When completed, it will be our wigwam.”

The wigwam will tell about the culture and values of the First Peoples. It will be more than a display. It will be an experience to understand and appreciate the people who lived and continue to live in our County. Programs will be planned for the public and students to aid in re-examining current perceptions of the Native American.

So, we need you to support us by volunteering to help with one or more steps, and/or donating generously to this project. To volunteer, stop by our table at the Home and Garden Show on March 24 and sign up or contact Sr. Cecilia Fandel, 715-532-0141. To donate, send a check payable to Rusk County Historical Museum, designate “Wigwam”, 1023 E. Menasha, Ladysmith, WI 54848 or use paypal: paypal.me/RuskCountyMuseum ... See more

The Rusk County Historical Museum continues to collect money to recreate a Native American wigwam - an authentic domed dwelling formerly used by the Ojibwa Woodland Indians of Northern Wisconsin. Today, thanks to donations we have collected $1,250. We need to collect in total $7,000.

“The wigwam will be built by Native Americans and Rusk County residents and visitors. The bulk of the amount pledged in the budget will be spent on travel, food and hotel to collect the raw materials from a state forest; then to locate a large space to prepare and store the processed materials until construction”, says member of Rusk County Historical Society, Sister Cecilia Fandel. She added, “in justice, the Native Americans will be paid for their assistance”.

During construction of the wigwam, authentic materials such as birch, basswood, popple and willow trees will be used. In spring, 1,000 willows will be collected to construct the skirt of the wigwam. In early June the tall saplings and birch bark will be collected for the frame and dome. Construction itself will take place in late June.

The wigwam will tell us about the culture and values of the First Peoples. It will be more than a display. It will be an experience to understand and appreciate the people who lived and continue to live in our County. Programs will be planned for the public and students to assist us to re-examine our perception of the Native American.